Guidance

Criminal exploitation of children and vulnerable adults: county lines

Guidance for frontline professionals on dealing with county lines, part of the government’s approach to ending gang violence and exploitation.

From:
Home Office
Published
11 July 2017
Last updated
20 October 2023 — See all updates
This was published under the 2016 to 2019 May Conservative government

Documents

Criminal exploitation of children and vulnerable adults: county lines (accessible version)

HTML

Criminal exploitation of children and vulnerable adults: county lines

PDF, 208 KB, 24 pages

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Criminal exploitation of children and vulnerable adults: county lines (Welsh accessible version)

HTML

Criminal exploitation of children and vulnerable adults: county lines (Welsh translation)

PDF, 254 KB, 25 pages

This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternativeformats@homeoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

This guidance outlines what county lines (and associated criminal exploitation) is, signs to look for in potential victims, and what to do about it. It does not provide information about the entirety of the county lines issue.

The document is a supplement to an organisation’s existing safeguarding policies, to help identify and protect those exploited through this criminal activity. It’s also aimed at:

  • local partners in policing
  • local authorities
  • the voluntary sector

This guidance is part of the cross-government approach to ending gang violence and exploitation.

Updates to this page

Published 11 July 2017
Last updated 20 October 2023 + show all updates

  1. The 'Criminal exploitation of children and vulnerable adults: county lines' has been updated. A welsh translation of the document has also been added.

  2. HTML version added.

  3. New version of county lines guidance pdf uploaded.

  4. First published.

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